THE LOVE SONG OF J. ALFRED PRUFROCK by T. S. Eliot

Like the title suggests, the literary work is a song; more precisely it consists of an interior dramatic monologue, in which the protagonist is the common middle aged man J. A. Prufrock. Right from the title the intelligent reader supposes that the song will deal with love.

A dramatic monologue presents a moment in which a speaking voice deals with a particular topic and, during his/her argumentation, reveals his personal feelings to the reader.

STRUCTURE: the poem is organized into irregular sequences, each owning no regular rhyme scheme --> free verse. It presents no stanzas, like happens in traditional previous poetry, and it is characterized by the juxtaposition of scenes: the poet juxtaposes sequences with the same atmosphere. Moreover, the frequent refrains give rhythm and musicality to the song. It presents an opening part consisting of an EPIGRAPH and it is organized into 20 more scenes. Nothing is meant to orient the reader. The irregular structure, indeed, proposes the chaotic way in which thoughts break into the mind of the character.

Epigraph: intertextual quotation by Dante’s Inferno, canto XXVII. The speaking voice is talking to his consciousness. Prufrock talks because he knows that what his consciousness reveals won’t be said to anyone --> interior revelation. Guido, the character speaking in Dante’s canto, reveals what he knows just because he is sure that Dante won’t return to the Earth. The quotation is a clear example of intertextuality, one of the characterizing elements of modernist poetry

1st scene: in the opening phrase “you and I” the word ‘you’ refers to the protagonist consciousness. The man is going to make the point of his life, and he finds himself alone with his conscience. The figure of the “etherized patient” and the darkness (evening) set an upsetting atmosphere; even the “deserted streets”, the” cheap hotels” and “sawdust restaurants” convey a sense of decay and corruption. Life seems to be emphasized in all his shallowness. An “insidious intent” aims at leading conscience to an “overwhelming question”: the vagueness of the line is underlined by suspension points (…). The image of the evening, for what concerns connotation, is to mean middle age, as it generally happens in modernist poetry. Therefore the reader may suppose Prufrock is a middle aged man evaluating his existence. In terms of musicality, the repetition of the sound “I” (ai), throughout the first two lines, conveys sense of pain and sets a suffering atmosphere.

2nd scene: the two lines, which will be repeated two scenes after, consist of a refrain: some women in a room are discussing, and the topic is the great artist Michelangelo. They are chatting, and in such a context a discussion about Michelangelo is not suitable. The scene aims at parodying the behavior of women, given that they are talking of greatest topics like these are simple gossip. Decay is emphasized again. At last, the two lines create rhyme and give rhythm to the short scene.

The 3rd scene of the song provides a description of the birth place of the protagonist: Prurock was born in Alessandria and the quoted “yellow fog” is the element stuck in his mind. Fog reminds him of his childhood. Moreover, it is personified: it ”rubs its back upon the window-panes/ Licked its tongue into the corners of the evening, / Lingered upon the pools that stand in drains, / Let fall upon its back the soot that falls from chimneys, / Slipped by the terrace, made a sudden leap”. At the end, it feels asleep.

In the 4th scene TIME represent the main topic of the entire sequence. The word ‘time’ is repeated many times and it underlines the concept of possibility. Indeed, “there will be time” like Prufrock states. Future is seen as a continue opportunity, time appears almost infinite and, in particular, there will be time to take a chance and make a choice. People naively believe that they can wait and they act like they are going to live forever: “And time yet for a hundred indecisions, And for a hundred visions and revisions”. In the room women are still wasting time, talking of Michelangelo (5th scene).

6th scene: Prufrock demonstrates to be aware of the passing of time; he’s getting older and older and people around him notice that. Others’ opinion: “They will say: ‘How his hair is growing thin!’ “. The last two lines “In a minute there is time For decisions and revisions which a minute will reverse” are in contrast with the two ending lines of the previous scene: before he says there is time for hundred indecisions and revisions, but now he is aware of shortness of time: time is not eternal, Prufrock himself is getting older and knows that in a minute those hundred indecisions and revisions may change, and it won’t depend on human being’s willing.

In the 7th scene the repetition of the verb “to know” indicates that the speaking voice is “already” aware of everything: he has come into a moment of his life in which he knows what life is. He reflects about the meaning of life and measures it out “with coffee spoons”. The passing of time is conveyed by the succession of parts of the day “the evenings, mornings, afternoons”, indicating also the different age of human life: old age, youth, middle age. Moreover, the references to far sounds (“the voices dying with a dying fall”, “the music from a farther room”) hint at something that passes fast, without making the human being aware of his rapidity.

8th scene: the awareness of the character is made by his direct experience. Sight is the semantic field to which the entire sequence refers: J. A. Prufrock has “known the eyes”, he has been able to experience life and has known others. The last line proposes the same question of the 7th scene: “how should I presume?”.

The 9th scene emphasizes the materialism symbolized by “Arms that are braceleted and white and bare”: even though people believe richness is really important. Indeed, “in the lamplight” these same arms “downed with light brown hair”: it means that, even though people try to hide beneath belongings, they will never be perfectly able to hide their very spirit. A few part is disposed to accept their human situation, and it is exactly what Prufrock is demonstrating to do. He himself is aware to be “formulated”, scene 8, like “formulated phrase” said by people, he depends on habits and conventions like everyone, and since he wonders “how should I presume?” he is reflecting about the sense of being so stuck in ordinary matters. Prufrock reveals his inability of daring (scene 6) and presuming (scene 8-9); he does not even know from what he should begin: scene 9, “And should I then presume? And how should I begin?”. In a moment of loneliness, like the 11th scene suggests, he finds himself in front of a re-evaluation of his existence, he is wondering the sense of what he has been living up to now.

In the 10th scene the feeling of loneliness is emphasized by the image of “lonely men in shirt-sleeves”: they are “leaning out the window”, maybe in search of something or someone they have been waiting for so long. QUEST of people who are unable to act and merely ‘wait’. Paralysis.

In the 12th scene the topic of time is treated again. The image of afternoon and evening sleeping peacefully conveys a quiet atmosphere to the sequence. The first part of the scene is characterized by peace. Middle and old ages are the parts of the day resting quietly; they are disturbed by the entry of the hard words “strength” and “crisis” in the middle of the scene: ” Should I (…) Have the strength to force the moment to its crisis?”. The strong question takes the place of the silent sleep. “But though I have wept and fasted, wept and prayed, Though I have seen my head (grown slightly bald) brought in upon a platter, I am no prophet—and here’s no great matter; I have seen the moment of my greatness flicker”: in these lines the speaker expresses all his uncertainty in front of his current existence. He feels afraid, he is conscious of his weakness and he can watch old age advancing. The final solemn admission “I was afraid” reveals all the consciousness of Prufrock towards his human situation and fragility.

The 13th scene begins with the sentence that will be repeated, as a refrain, four more times throughout this and the following scene: “And would it have been worth it”. Prufrock is keeping on evaluating his life: the ‘overwhelming question’ appeared at the beginning of the song now is proposed again. What is really worth it? He is wondering the sense of everything. Usual actions like taking the tea, talking, facing matters, finding an answer to the universe, are contained in the oppressing question. The religious reference to Lazarus is a further element of intertextuality inside the song. The last three lines of the scene refers to a woman (“If one, settling a pillow by her head”), and the same woman appears at the end of the 14th scene. Therefore, Prufrock is wondering if what he did towards the woman is worth it. Simple and ordinary actions are described in the scenes, and they refer to the attitude of the girl and Prufrock.

15th scene: the contrast between Prufrock and prince Hamlet is the most significant element of anti-heroism: the protagonist of the song is sure he cannot compare to the protagonist of Hamlet’s work. He is a ordinary middle aged man of the 20th century, he embodies the perfect figure of the antihero of modernist poetry. He feels like “an easy tool”, he could better play the role of the fool. Prufrock is underlining his weakness and ridiculousness by declaring he feels better like the jester of the court. He recognizes his condition and reveals his consideration about himself.

In the 16th and 17th scenes the speaker realizes that time is passing and he is growing old. He believes he should not ‘dare’ like he wondered before. “Do I dare to eat a peach?”. He considers changing his hairstyle and clothes, and it is a clear effect of his crisis. Moreover, he imagines mermaids singing, but they won’t sing for him: he focuses on his antiheroic situation again.

In the 19th scene the sound ‘w’ is repeated many times and it conveys the sense of slow moving of the waves and mermaids.

The monologue ends with the sentence “we drown” emphasizing the oppressing situation of the speaking voice, that cannot find a solution to his crisis. At last, he feels like he is drowning and it communicates the dramatic view point that has characterized the entire song.